Tragedy In Newtown

NEWTOWN, Conn. (CBSNewYork) — Violent video games are drawing new scrutiny in the wake of the Newtown elementary school tragedy. Some gamers are already giving them up … voluntarily.

CBS 2’s Lou Young met one seventh grader in Newtown on Thursday who was gathering a selection of his personal video games. He was getting rid of them for one reason and said he wants you to get rid of yours as well.

“All of it is kill, just kill as many people as you can without dying,” Max Goldstein said.

Each one is what they call a “first-person shooter,” a game in which the player looks at a digital landscape through the sights of a weapon and uses it on enemies.

They are among the most popular games on the market; violent, engaging, and, some say, addictive. In the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Goldstein and his brother decided it was a digital world they could no longer embrace.

“I really think it’s rude and disrespectful to the families, who lost children, to play these games,” Goldstein said.

With his parents help he’s created a group called “Played Out” that uses the slogan “We choose not to play.” It urges fellow kids to ditch their violent games as well. Bins will be going up in Newtown on Friday.

“We hope people will drop off … and destroy them,” said Jackson Mittleman, Goldstein’s brother.

The adults are wondering why they didn’t think of it first.

“It’s just great. I think it’s just great the kids thought of something,” said Roberta Mittleman, the boys’ mother.

Goldstein said his goal is to reduce violent video games by a third in American homes. You can start by dropping them off Friday. The first of the bins will go up at the Newtown Sports Academy.